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In this edition:
- Our Christmas and New Year closure
- Thank you for getting involved...and a Customer Voices Panel update
- Service charge consultation outcome
- Meet our latest prize draw winner
- Top tips to keep the cost of Christmas down
- Holiday activity clubs for children
- Support over Christmas
We'll be closing for the Christmas and New Year period at 3pm on Tuesday 24th December 2024 and will reopen at 9am on Thursday 2nd January 2025.
During this period you'll still be able to report emergency repairs by calling our out of office service on 0113 386 1000. Emergency repairs include things like severe water leaks and loss of all power
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When dealing with emergency repairs, our out-of-hours service will make things safe for you within 4 hours (unless it's related to gas repairs such as a broken boiler or no hot water, in which case you'll receive a repairs visit within 8 hours). If further work is required our Contact Centre will arrange this with you in the new year.
If you suspect a gas leak, call the National Gas Emergency Helpline on 0800 111 999 immediately.
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Thank you to everyone who's given us feedback this year, and especially those customers who've given up their time to find out more and join our Customer Voices Panel induction sessions.
We've heard from 53 customers as part of our recent campaign and we hope to welcome 4 new members to our Customer Voices Panel!
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We're also welcoming a new member to our team. Scarlett Hancock has joined us as our new Customer Engagement Officer.
Scarlett will play a key role in supporting the Customer VoicesPanel and working with colleagues across the business to consult and involve customers.
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If you're interested in getting involved in the Customer Voices Panel or through projects on our online platform, Your Voice, please email us at customer.engagement@lfha.co.uk
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We received feedback from more than 60 customers about our proposed service charge changes.
Most of the feedback was about the grounds maintenance service charge, and how it's calculated. This covers the cost of maintaining communal land near to homes which is not within the boundary of individual gardens.
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We've taken account of feedback and queries raised and made adjustments. In some cases, this has resulted in a slight difference to the proposed cost of the service charge outlined in the consultation.
All customers who pay a service charge will receive an individual letter over the next 10 days showing the adjusted service charge from April 2025 along with information about the changes we're making and why. It'll also explain what to do if you think we’ve made a mistake with the calculation of an individual charge.
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Earlier this year, our in-house contractor, APS, launched a quarterly £200 prize draw to encourage more customers to keep their electrical test appointments.
We're pleased to announce Susan Steele from Morley won the latest prize draw.
Make sure you keep your electrical test appointment to be in with a chance of winning!
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 Christmas can be an expensive time of year but if you keep these tips in mind, you can keep your costs low and reduce the stress:
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Plan your gifts - decide what you need in advance and stick to it to avoid overbuying
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Set your budget - create a budget for all your planned expenses, from buying gifts to social events. Try to avoid dipping into your savings or overdraft and think about using prepaid cards instead as you can control the amount you load onto them.
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Speak to your friends and family - you could suggest group gifts or skipping presents. Your friends and family might be relieved to have fewer gifts to buy too!
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Look for budget-friendly gifts - remember it's the thought that counts! You can find lovely gifts for £5 or less such as scented candles, photo frames, jars of sweet treats or homemade baked goods. You can even search online for 'Christmas gifts under £5' to give you some ideas.
If you're worried about money, rent, benefits or debt, our Money Matters team can offer support and help to keep more money in your pocket. Call us on 0113 386 1000, or email us at moneymatters@lfha.co.uk
Local councils and their partners offer a range of activities and clubs for children over the school holidays. Activities are free for some families.
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Take a look at the local links to find out more and book places:
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 If you're struggling over the Christmas period, it can be helpful to talk things through:
- Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans 24/7 (you don't need to have any credit or call allowance on your plan to call). Or email jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
- Call 111 and select option 2 to speak to the Mental Health Crisis Response Service 24/7
- Call Mind's Mental Health Helpline 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday on 0300 102 1234
- Text "SHOUT" to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text "YM" if you're under 19
- If you're under 35 years old, call PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide on 0800 068 4141, text 88247 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org 24/7
- If you're male, call or WhatsApp 0800 585858 for the Calm Mental Health Forum and Chat from 5pm-midnight every day
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